2009 Baseball Hall of Fame and Annual Awards Handed out at ABCA Convention
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Annual Convention concluded this past weekend at the Marriott San Diego and numerous NAIA annual awards were handed out in addition to the announcement of the 2009 NAIA Hall of Fame Class. All of these baseball awards were announced during the NAIA-Rawlings Hall of Fame & Awards Luncheon on Jan. 3.
Two legendary coaches became the newest members of the NAIA Hall of Fame, Dave Bingham, formerly of Emporia State (Kan.) and Sam Riggleman, currently at Spring Arbor (Mich.).
In his fourteen years as the head coach at Emporia State University, Bingham compiled a record of 588-270-2. The Hornets won eleven District titles, eight conference championships and five regional titles during
Bingham’s tenure at ESU. Bingham guided Emporia State to five NAIA World Series appearances, including a NAIA National Championship in 1978. He was named NAIA National Coach of the Year three times (1976, 1984, 1986) and left Emporia in 1987 to become the head coach at the University of Kansas; where he led the Jayhawks to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA College World Series in 1993. Bingham is entering his fourth season as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. He has served on the coaching staff for several USA Baseball teams; including the silver medal U.S. Olympic team in 1984 and the 1988 Gold medal team.
Coach Riggleman’s next win at Spring Arbor University later this spring will be career coaching victory number 750. Riggleman returned to his alma mater in 2005 to take over for his former coach and legendary NAIA Hall of Famer Hank Burbridge. The commitment to character and personal integrity that Coach Burbridge instilled in his teams continues to flourish under Coach Riggleman at Spring Arbor. Riggleman was named the Rawlings-NAIA National Coach of the Year in 2007 when he guided the Cougars to a runner-up finish at the Avista-NAIA World Series. He earned NAIA National Coach of the Year honors in 2000 as well, when he led Dallas Baptist University to World Series Championship. Spring Arbor has advanced to the semifinals of the Avista-NAIA World Series the past two years under Riggleman.
Other awards handed out were the Rawlings-NAIA National Coach of the Year and the Robert E. “Ish” Smith Achievement Award. Mark Brew of Lee (Tenn.) University was presented with the Coach of the Year honor. More information on this award can be viewed here. Dave Altopp, former coach at Lee, received the “Ish” award. Altopp retired from coaching after the 2006 season, 35 years in the profession. He served as president of both the ABCA and the NAIA during his career. Dave was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2001 and earned the distinction as 2009 ABCA Hall of Fame member.
Announced at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Breakfast on Jan. 4, Dr. Carroll B. Land of Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) earned the FCA Jerry Kendall Character in Coaches Award. For more information on Land’s achievement, click here.
For more information on Rawlings, please click here.
Awards List
2009 NAIA Hall of Fame Inductees
Dave Bingham, Emporia State (Kan.) University
Sam Riggleman, Spring Arbor (Mich.) University
2009 Robert E. “Ish” Smith Achievement Award
Dave Altopp, Lee (Tenn.) University
2009 FCA Jerry Kendall Character in Coaches Award
Dr. Carroll B. Land, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) University (press release)
2008 Rawlings-NAIA National Coach of the Year
Mark Brew, Lee (Tenn.) University (press release)
Region I Coach of the Year
Ed Cheff, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) College
Region II Coach of the Year
Oscar Hirschkorn, Fresno Pacific (Calif.) University
Region III Coach of the Year
Scott Berry, Mayville State (N.D.) University
Region IV Coach of the Year
Dave Dawson, Kansas Wesleyan University
Region V Coach of the Year
Ryan Howard, Avila (Mo.) University
Region VI Coach of the Year
Nathan Blackwood, Lubbock Christian (Texas) University
Region VII Coach of the Year
Gordie Gillespie, University of St. Francis (Ill.)
Region VIII Coach of the Year
Greg Haeger, Madonna (Mich.) University
Region IX Coach of the Year
Tom Crank, Malone (Ohio) College
Region X Coach of the Year
Scott Dulin, Fisher (Mass.) College
Region XI Coach of the Year
Woody Hunt, Cumberland (Tenn.) University
Region XII Coach of the Year
Billy Berry, Tennessee Wesleyan University
Region XIII Coach of the Year
Mark Brew, Lee (Tenn.) University
Region XIV Coach of the Year
Randy Stegall, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) University
